SOL.It was on the fringes where we made our living. in the depths far away from the safety of SOL. It always seemed like the black held a certain comfort. quiet in your sleep bucked firmly into the gravity couch waiting patiently for the moment of arrival..
ACCESS CODE: **** *** ***** >>> <<<
Activating track lighting… WELCOME CAPTAIN Blake Eugene Carter!
The lights grew in the depths of the exploration vessel to a dim yellow to emulate sunrise. the sleeper chamber opened as the captain was slowly being revived from a five year long sleep. the other sleeper beds were occupied by the twelve various crew of the ship. five women seven men including the captain. His head was shaved and he looked gruff from the stasis he endured. with his first weak step he made it onto the deck plates without falling. this was a sleeper hold in the lower belly of the ship meant to contain the crew safely through deep space travel. around the other gravity couches were coming to life, the canopies slowly rising with a gentle hiss for each one, one by one.
By this point there was country music playing on the ship speakers and the captain had already brewed a pot of coffee. Elise’s eyes opened with a heavy squint as she tried to adjust herself to the conditions.
The computer announced to the crew “Time in sleep, 6 years twelve months, forty seven days nineteen minutes” Elise Moaned as the couch stood her up wishing she could sleep longer, the surroundings gave a sense of home but not the one she would have wished for. everything was as she remembered except with a gentle sheen of dust over the surface of everything.
The music was not in the least her particular taste, Elise hated country music with a passion and disliked anything to do with it… Her first steps were a gentle stumble followed by a near faceplant into a surgical table. “Carter… turn that damned shit off i have the worst hangover right now and listening to a bunch of slack jawed yokels makes me want to puke”
Captain Carter kicked his legs up on a table propped back with his chair against the buttress twinkling ocean blue eyes, shaggy brown beard and skinny frame, cup in hand he shrugged from under his black felt Cowboy hat. “well if you don't like country you should have just stayed on dock duty count yourself lucky you aren't six years older and pushing cargo containers for a living…”
Their eyes made contact from across the room, around them the rest of the crew started to stir from their deep groggy sleeps.
“It Grows on you…” Carter smiled with a half sarcastic glint to his eye”
Elise sat against the table and propped herself down on the floor grabbing a sickness bucket from the tray below.
“Grows on you like a bad case of fleas you mean”
she started gagging keeled over the bucket, clutching it for life...
“ You really gotta lighten up Elise… sure you just came out of stasis but you’ll live longer if you learn to enjoy the simple things, besides slack jawed yokels can be a beautiful thing too from time to time” The captain had a mellow tone about him while the other crew members started to move about the ship.
“you know she turns thirty today…”
Elise Looked up dumbfounded…
“Huh?!”
Carter took a swig of coffee before pouring himself a second
“The ship… Ithaca... she’s going to be getting a major overhaul in the meantime we’re getting a new ship and a special assignment to go with, top of that you’re gettin a full time position as our science officer..” Elise took a second to adjust herself on the floor
“wait so you kept this quiet from me when we left Alpha Centauri, I don’t understand… what’s going on then? I am Being promoted?!”
the coffee cup softly clanged on the hard surface…
Well, lemme fill you in, I think YOU are a fine young woman Elise Starlit, You have a good list of solid skills to complement your absolutely stunning body…”
The stars twinkled in the background as the ship raced ahead it’s thrusters glowing a bright burnt orange.
the old Mismar had Been worn and beaten, the paint peeled and chipped from entropy.
the Turrets appeared to have some minor wear and the warp sail itself had exposed internals from where panels were removed to service equipment and modify the hardware.
“So what happened to Keeping Dr. Levett on for another six seasons?” Elise Was truly intrigued at this point, Levett was groggily standing in the background behind her reading a diagnostic tool and overheard the inquiry.
“Well my dear… My son turns seven this year! he will be just turning seven by the time I get home in October, I would like to make it home by his birthday…”
Levett Spoke with a fairly strong south african accent. In contrast to Elise Levett had blond hair and dull grey eyes, She on the other hand had black hair and Hazel eyes with a freckled complexion to her light skin and tiny 52 kilogram frame. both were wearing a basic pair of hospital grade fabric mesh undies and elise was wearing a basic chest wrap held on by a simple pin.
“So what does this mean? I am going to be working the Lab by myself?”
Elise Looked At Carter with a curious half cocked look of confusion and concern.
Carter thumbed the rim of his coffee mug with a curious fascination about him and a look of a man who has dealt with this before many times.
“Not so hasty, you may be going up in the world but, it does not mean you will be working alone…
I was given my instructions to report back to Eris to take command of some new fangled ship called the “Stardiver”. She apparently has some sort of variable pitch warp sail that allows her to land on planets. I’m not one to judge but I think whoever sent the report was a quack and looking for a little extra attention” ERIS/ SOL SYSTEM/ OUTPOST: Dysnomia Drifted quietly over Eris the Dim light of SOL glistening across the surface, a Deep Hole in the surface of the moon emerged, it was nearly two hundred and fifty meters wide and nearly a kilometer deep surrounded by some subsequent buildings which towered over the mouth.
inside elevator shafts and scaffolds led down into a network of superstructures that docked ships in the low gravity environment, A Mismar was being towed into place while below it in another hangar a small ship was under construction with numbers of scaffolds in and around it, her structure missing parts, while the odd Arc from the welding teams lit the area up with bright vigourous flashes like a small thunderstorm across a southern Martian plain in early july…
The hangar had several windows overlooking the ship, from inside one of the windows a group of individuals poured over blueprints and discussed details. while on the floor above a solitary quiet room housed a single person, the room itself had little to be admired, it was sterile and white bathed in illumination from the surrounding track lights. The person had long flowing blond hair and green eyes she was dressed in a white jumpsuit which had several eyelets throughout it for electronics and plugs. her look was one of study and curiosity. as she watched out the window sitting on the floor the door opened with an electronic hum.
A lab technician entered… “Tara, Hello’ I am Dr. Burke Nystrom, I am here to give you your injection…”
she looked back startled. “but I don’t want an injection… You have already stabbed and prodded at me thirteen times today!”
He looked at the girl with a sense of persuasiveness. “Please understand, it is not that I like giving the injections to you however your biological makeup requires that we give you a stimulant and monitor you constantly through the development process”
she looked frustrated and confused.
“You never told me how I got here I remember working saturn dock and now all of the sudden I am here… stuck in a room for weeks and told don't worry…” Burke took a step forward “now listen carefully I know it’s tough right now but we need you to take your injection so you can get stronger, it's simply a steroidal compound to help you regulate your growth spurts at a normal rate.” Tara felt unwilling and she could not fathom the idea of being constantly poked at on a constant basis, not without a fight… “DON’T TOUCH ME!” As her back hit the window two men in heavy body armour entered, a struggle ensued with Tara ending up pinned and being given the injection anyhow, a simple fast prick from a stim injector left her feeling dazed for a moment, she gave in having little to do but stare at her captors with a glare of resentment as they left the room closing the door behind.
“At Least tell me why I’m here…” She sat there staring at the floor lost in the confusion of her circumstances trying to retrace her memories back to a single point…
The ship sparked outside from a welder’s arc. it was not long before the lights dimmed on Tara and the bed slid out from the wall… occasionally a dull flash briefly illuminated the room while she sat in silence.
Back on the Ithaca The crew had gotten dressed and ready for duty, Elise was working hard at studying astronomical data while Carter was away on the bridge…
“Elise?” Dr. Levett was working away at the other computer and spoke up catching her attention“It seems we are drawing near to our destination so I wanted to tell you how much of a pleasure it is to work with you, all in all you have been my best understudy up to this point. with everything you do, you have made my work much easier to handle and much more” he was briefly interrupted...
“Dr, you are going to have to spare your sentiments for just a moment, I Need you on the bridge…”
Carter was standing in the doorway. his eyes fixed on the now perplexed Dr.Levett “what is it captain?”
He pulled Levett aside and started a conversation down the narrow spiderweb of hallways and bulkheads.
“You sure I can’t convince you to stay on Hank?” Levett looked back at Carter with a dumbfounded look “Sir, you know I can’t, my son needs a father and frankly I can't deny him one, besides you have Elise and she has learned from the best…”
Carter brushed his hand across Levett’s shoulder “I know, I know, Hank… but i’m not too sure about the new crew members they assigned to the Stardiver, I just got word they are giving us a sixteen year old!, can you freakin believe it? some snot nosed kid under my care, I’m Beside myself!” Levett turned to carter with a serious look. “Carter, I've always known you to be a fine captain, having a spry youngster around may just be what this crew needs...” “Suppose you're wrong! I don’t wanna be wasting my time wiping some kid’s bottom…”
Levett laughed for a moment.
“Ha. but wiping bottoms is something you’re good at! stop worrying about it you will do just fine!” The OORT cloud twinkled with the speckles of a billion distant objects all of which seemed to dance in the silence of a two hundred year circle around the tiny speck of a star. the Ithaca raced past with no resistance, floating peacefully towards the center of the solar system. it’s engines fluttered out putting the ship into a graceful drift.
*”Ithaca, Ithaca, please respond”*
the Captain was almost to the bridge by now…
*”SCG Ithaca Please respond on frequency 47.501-2”* The captain rushed onto the deck and sat down having heard the call partly as Levett stood next to the bridge door.
“This is Captain Blake Eugene Carter responding, who is it I am speaking to?” there was a moment of silence over the bridge comms
*”This is Colonial Fleet Corsair Oceania, we have picked you up on long range scanners approaching our position. we are in the midst of fleet action and request that you stand down and change course to coordinates two five one dash Zero niner!”*
Carted looked stumped…
“Er… uh… Negative… we are required to enter on ingress two five seven to reach lagrange five entry point, can you please clarify as to why I would be needing to overshoot my current course and potentially spend an entire week to try and reach my destination?”
*static*
*” we are currently taking military action against raiders, please be advised you are NOT to enter the sector under penalty of law in regards to section twelve dash two of the colonial protection act. we are not responsible for your safety should you try to”* The captain abruptly changed the channel and flipped it back…
“Sorry, repeat last? I appear to be getting “Solar interruptions”” he then with a slight chuckle flipped communications over to cycle frequencies within the comms range* “Helm… Set thrusters to full and plot a direct course for Eris on lagrange 5!”
the Pilot replied “Aye captain let's make sure we don't get too close to them!”
The Engines roared up to a bright golden glow outside the ship and the Ithaca started to pick up speed rapidly, her graceful frame holding steadfast on approach to the OORT cloud.
Elise was working away gathering data in the heart of the ship…
“Sir, we have cleared the bow shock region and are approaching the OORT cloud in a hurry, is something up Carter?”
Carter communicated back to the lab.” Just your usual run of the mill Military Types tryin to make our day less peachy, say could you do a favour and ready our decoy in the cargo bay with one of the ship transponders?”
Elise looked concerned for a moment “Sir?”
“Just do it Elise, I can cover it out of our my personal paycheque when we get to Eris” Elise dropped what she was doing with a firm “Aye Sir!” and rushed through the closely packed hallways to the cargobay, on a small wooden skid sat a rather strange and dated looking missile, Elise quickly unstrapped it and rushed over to a Yellow plastic box which she dragged across the deck to the probe.after about five or so minutes of work ratcheting the Transponder to the probe she radioed back to the bridge. “it’s done, I will need some help rolling it to the airlock!”
“right on it little missy, just sit tight…”
Elise slumped next to the skid and waited… two of the other crew members showed within a couple minutes and started wheeling the bulky object throw the narrow maze of corridors and along the red colored track lights on a tiny wheelcart to the airlock, all three of them strained and groaned as they loaded the probe in place. a few moments later Elise stood at the inner airlock door while it closed, her face looked out over the missile with a serious glint of business about it. “Missile loaded Carter!” Carter smirked somewhat from his chair on the bridge… “let er fly!”
the airlock burst open and the probe deployed then flared up with brilliant red flash of fire. “Off and away! good work Elise, ya know, I should get you to do that more often!”
back on the bridge Carter closed the ship comms down.
“Nav... Set course for two five one dash Zero niner! activate the transponder on my mark… three two one… Mark!!!” The Woman at navigations was Focused on the orders at hand “ mark!” she had a dark Middle eastern complexion and thick black hair. her look was a thoughtful one as she watched the probe race away on her control screen.”
Carter had a smug look on his face… his eyes glistened slightly as he spoke up “helm kill engines, cut the power, let’s ride it out on maneuvering thrusters”
there was a steady reply from the woman behind the helm “aye.” the ship went dark, almost silent… the navigation screens blipped with the probe’s location. “just a matter of time before they figure out that we launched a decoy by then we will be hiding among the debris field.” the ship glided in a steadfast drift, her hull obscured in the asteroids and dust clouds of the kuiper belt every so often blasting a burst from the thrusters to alter course. silently sneaking, not far from the colonial fleet was engaged in heavy battle against a group of raiders who had disabled a cargo drone, now and then an explosion gathered light off the glittering dust of the belt giving a dim iridescence to the objects surrounding.
Every so often on the navigation screens at the front of the bridge a radar wave would pulse off the tiny blue triangle indicating the Ithaca and it’s decoy.
the tiny mismar drifted further and further away from the battle until the colonial frigate and it’s subsequent ships were out of visual range. there was a sense of quiet throughout the entire ship, every crew member waited cautiously, transfixed with concern on the notion that they may not be alive again to see Eris, their families or their homes waiting for them back in the system colonies. it was only a short time before the danger passed.
Several hours passed…the tiny room of the creche in the hangar on Eris came back to life with the dull hum of the lights, Tara woke up restlessly… her eyes drifted from their haze to conscious awareness. the door slid open and Burke stood at the threshold “May I talk to you?”
Tara’s young face drifted towards the window. “talk then…”
“I have to run more tests on you, the situation last night seems to have been very difficult on you and I do not want to push too hard on you this time…”
She stared out the window.
he continued to talk “let’s be fair… We can understand you are a little reluctant towards our methods but you must understand there are a lot of questions regarding you.Tara spoke up from the clutches of anxiety “Why am I really here?”
He remained silent for a minute… “well that is a little tough to explain…”
she looked back at him “enlighten me”
He looked at her transfixed with an odd level of curiosity. “we both know I have rules I must follow If I could tell you I would have by now…” Tara looked frustrated, her expression clearly showed serious thought behind it.
“why are you keeping me here… why can’t I go anywhere?!... Am I being punished?!”
Burke looked back at her…
“No it’s nothing like that at all, you have to understand that there is somewhat of a curiosity towards you and your physical condition…”
she flashed back at him with a reluctant look in her eyes. “can you atleast tell me why you are constantly injecting me?” he tilted his head sideways “it’s a little complicated”
Tara by this point was getting irate…
“Complicated?!, You can’t just keep me here and not tell me what is going on I have rights!” the doctor stood there more sternly his arms crossed.
“actually that’s where you are mistaken…”
Tara looked dumbfounded, she stood up in a hurry.
“what?!” By the time she turned around security had pushed into the room she was apprehended and pressed down on the floor then injected with a strong sedative.
she woke up some time later, her head felt heavy she was slumped over in the corner of the room, she back of her neck had a welt on it and she felt empty knowing she had no escape from the room. the door opened shortly after.“well it would seem you are already awake Ms Keller, did you sleep well?” Tara didn’t move, she slumped against the wall with an agitated look.
“I hate you…”
He looked down at the teenage girl “I assure you the feelings aren't mutual, I will say this much, your purpose is purely scientific in nature.”
He seemed to change his demeanour from the previous night.“I have been allowed to share some details, concerning the nature of things you have been pretty confused and I have specifically asked for information clearance regarding your specific case” She sat there unimpressed… “You are being given a very special job Tara, while it may not seem like much it is a second chance on a new life!, If I may explain to you we found your body floating in the expanse while attempting to calculate a route through the kepler 10 radiological belts… you had several holes in your body, indicating you were shot by a primitive flechette pistol… the subsequent testing showed that you had unusual genetic makeup unlike anything we had seen, furthermore your dna structure showed some degree of regeneration. we managed to gather viable genetic samples.”
Tara looked at him like he was crazy. “we took what was left of you and cloned you from stem cells and the truth here is that we need you to help us find the other survivors of the Pontius Pilate, We believe that you deep down may be the missing link to the colony ship's disappearance and whereabouts” Tara sat up at this point, her eyes grew wide. “how does that even make any sense?”
she backed against the wall with an expression of confusion.
“Well I believe, and please hear me out here, you were murdered and ejected from an airlock, however you were left as a trace for someone to find, one of our guild’s exploration vessels stumbled across you, your body had suffered massively from the projectile trauma and the subsequent decompression/ freezing. however your emergency transponder beacon was still going and further tests revealed your former body had been drifting for a decade in the vacuum. we kept your previous body in containment under scientific observation on your arrival back on Eris and made subsequent copies of, out of some fourteen clones made you were the only successful one to survive the process.
Furthermore the reanimation showed promising signs of what amounts to residual memory and intelligence. whatever happened to you on the pontius resulted in a full restructuring of your genetics with amazing results!... we were shocked to see how tightly packed your DNA was!” The Doctor continued to speak to Tara regarding her condition of death and reanimation, while outside the ship that sat in a state of development. her fear grew into curiosity at what the man was telling her. she wanted to believe it was all true.
Over the next few days she was a less reluctant, she ate what they gave her, took the injections and slept accordingly while the ship outside was being fitted with it’s engines and warp sails. While it made her feel childish she was treated much better than previously.
One morning in the adjacent hanger a ship was pulling into dockfrom the window where Tara had watched for many weeks she could see the worn paint of the large craft. it was not long before the doctor and his security team would arrive to take her out of the creche where she was staying.
they walked down a twisted maze of narrow hallways to what looked like a meeting room, there several business types sat at a table. The doctor seemed proud almost a little too proud. “Greetings everyone, please be seated!” there was a sharp stab at the back of Tara’s neck from an injector administered by a nurse who until now was standing out of view of the door’s broad port hole. Tara felt sick and dizziness “I would like to introduce you to Tara, she is our fourteenth attempt at recreating Ms Keller from the existing DNA we extracted from the Individual found floating so far from home... furthermore she is the most successful of the fourteen. she is also the youngest!”Tara wobbled a little while the nurse held her up and whispered “it’s okay the chip will make you a little dizzy for the first few minutes, it won't hurt you just focus” “If you the representatives of Vector exploration corporation are willing to continue forward through the process of development we would like to utilize our lucky little fourteen to further exploration prospects and attempt a recovery of the ill fated Pontius Pilate”
Aboard the Ithaca the crew was disembarking from the ship’s airlock, Captain Carter was hard at work to get the ship’s manifests in order before leaving the ship. Elise stopped briefly to talk “Can we talk?” Carter looked up.
“You know, I personally feel that little stunt with the colonial fleet put us all at severe risk…”
Carter looked back with an as a matter of fact look “Would you rather have spent a week touring the asteroids?. Lets just be clear Elise you may be new aboard my ship as far as round trips go, but you ain't going to get any favours by waiting for a rainy day” Elise looked at him and stormed past. Levett gave carter a look of worry, “she’s right Eugene… we took a pretty big risk” Captain Carter had a frown as he went back to his work.
“Since I am going to be headed back for Saturn colony I won’t say too much about it, but I do feel our business is concluded.” Carter shook his head “Have yourself a lovely day, don't let the door hit you on the way out”Levett kept walking.
The board meeting concluded back in the far hangar. Tara was still a little shocked from the sudden random spinal injection. she was led to a large dark room, her eyes adjusted as the overhead lights grew in intensity, there was a chair in the middle of the room in the upright position. next to the chair was a combat drone sitting on a metal crate.
“Tara, have a seat and we will begin” she sat down unsure what was happening. “Okay Tara we are going to start with something simple before progressing onto more complicated matters such as learning to walk with the drone. we will work through some very basic stuff and give you a rest before introducing you to the team.
Back across the dock Carter had finished up before being cornered by security officers. “Sir your access is being restricted until further notice!”
A man in a suit appeared from the shadows holding an oak cane with a brass fitted tip. he was large and had a dark african complexion. Carter looked shocked “Carlisle?!” Carlisle clapped
“Well well, Captain Eugene Carter… I assure you there is no pleasure in our meeting, and please, you can call me Mr. Trent… That little stunt back there was quite impressive however each time you pull one of those little switchbacks like you did put what is my financial investment in jeopardy!” Carter attempted to walk past to avoid the confrontation only to receive a swift punch to the gut from the security guard on the left. he stood there holding the buttress and gasping for air. “you know I don't like it when colonial fleet is involved in vector corporation’s very private matters, now I am not going to tell you again, if you ever, ever endanger the lives of your crew again, I will strap a ship transponder to your chest and airlock you personally with a generous smile on my dark skinned face”
Carlisle gave a strong look of pleasure in watching Captain Carter squirm like a cockroach under his wingtip “You know Gene… Can I call you gene? I am really tempted to send you away to captain a garbage scowl for the rest of your days, it would be a fitting end to a broad and illustrious career in my corporation’s ranks and the Astrogate Navigator’s guild for that matter. however I like your flare… For theatrics...I would be willing to put the transponder incident completely behind us if you do could just do your job…You” Carlisle walked up close and put his arm around Carter. “Gene… are going to be reassigned to the longest and furthest mission of your entire natural and unnatural existence… the upside is captaining a garbage hauler will build some character.” Carter grunted holding his stomach “Did your guard have to hit me?”
Carlisle kept walking casually with his cane in front of a gentle stride “Why, yes… yes he did… You see, while I do not like violence being that I have a daughter, she’s seven. and a loving wife, have you met Clarissa? I realize that there is a point where violence is necessary, it keeps people on task… Don’t ever... And I do mean ever let this happen again”
The room was dark, Tara sat there as the neurological monitors blipped continuously. Dr. Burke stood looking over Tara. her beautiful sea blue eyes reflected back in the dim light of the room. “Now Tara, controlling a drone requires intense concentration and mental focus for the first little while, the chip we implanted works, we already have a reading on that however we want to make sure you can adjust to having a secondary body so to speak, I am going to ask you, start out slowly it’s not a race… okay let's wiggle your right index finger” the right index on the combat drone twitched and fidgeted after a few short moments.“see not so bad. very good tara. won't be too long till you are able to operate the star diver’s neurological control sets. it’s really pretty simplistic technology but there is some tendency to overshoot your intended marks if you are not paying attention or have a tendency to fidget”
Tara attempted to nod but found her body to be somewhat harder to control, she could barely lift her head as she laid there reclined. the drone’s control indicator lights fluttered but the drone did little else, the next few hours exhausted her to the point where she fell asleep.
Elise had been thinking as the hours passed… she had been nursing a cup of coffee for some time in the cafeteria looking over the dock. she slumped over the table waiting aimlessly to find out what was happening, in the background the Stardiver was nearing completion. she wondered about her career and the consequences of her captain’s actions. Levett waked into the room, poured himself a coffee and sat down across from Elise
“Hank?”
He replied kindly, “well it looks like Carter has done it this time… he got himself placed in a holding cell for the entire duration of the stay here. I had some time to talk to him, he was a little worse for wear but it looks like the local corporate boss managed to pull some strings and get you and the others underway within a reasonable amount of time”
Elise perked up a little “so what does that mean for our captain?” Levett was thumbing the rim of the mug. “it means he has to play by the rules and behave, either way you’re going to have to be the babysitter for a while. the new crewmate is a sixteen year old from what carter tells me.” Elise looked shocked “sixteen? you sure he wasn’t just joking with you? Carter is really a jerk sometimes!”
Tara had opened her eyes, she moved her arm looking blankly at her hand. she was back in her bed on the creche, It was as if nothing had happened. she sat up, she was looking out over the ship being built in the hangar with confusion. the ship sat quiet, for the first time in a really long time there was no one working outside her window. seemed strange to her, as she watched the ship’s sleek frame took on a majesty of it’s own. just then the door opened. “well it’s a pleasure to see you are awake…”
it was the deep voice of a man standing in the entrance way. “so you’re the one i've spent nearly thirteen million credits on? must be worth it to finally meet your maker isn't it?”
“who are you?!” Tara had stood up and her legs gave out. “Carlisle Trent, sorry I was not at the board meeting for your introduction. But I had some important matters which kept me busy…” he was holding something “I am much more for personal introductions. they are always more, effective… The remote display in my hand controls your nervous system through the electronic nodes I have had systematically installed throughout your body in order to manipulate starship controls and robotics, it also can be used in the reverse context by generating a feedback loop in your nervous system much like the one you experienced in testing, I can use my handy little device to simply make you drop like a sack of potatoes. don't worry it’s purely for your protection,we don't want you getting hurt” Tara tried to get up off the floor but couldn't move..The blank expression on her face towards Carlisle spoke volumes “...” “Well, everything works, it’s not like you can run or fight back so I am going to enjoy getting my money’s worth out of you ” He towered over her with a regal dominance and aggressive nature “I am the man who is here to make your life a living hell… You see when it comes right down to it I have final say in these outlandish projects”
Outside the creche panic ensued from Dr Burke’s assistant as she tried desperately to wake him “Dr. Burke!! Dr. Burke!!!, Carlisle has Entered the Creche!!! I tried to stop him! Wake up!!!” the metal door slid open What?!. Get security now I’ll go down and stop him! Boots rushed down the corridors towards the creche, several guards in armor lined the hall the group leader shouted in towards the cell “Trent! this area is off limits, come out or we will be forced to shoot!” Trent stepped out of the room “nothing to worry about” Trent was being passive about his harassment of Tara “you seem to think you are the authority to walk around like you own Eris… You may be a ship builder but your position here is nothing more than a fancy suit and starch tie, Eris belongs to the astrogate cartographer’s guild!” Trent seemed to resent the security team lead’s push for law” “Be that as it may, the girl in the room is my property and I was simply doing as I wish with MY property…” Burke came scrambling down the hall. “Mr Trent! YOU have NO RIGHT...!” “Two armed guards in dark body armor stepped out from the buttresses of hall” “Remember who funded your little project…” Tara managed to get partially up by this point looking out the door with a bit of shock and terror…By this point the guild leader had caught wind of this and arrived “TRENT! You are out of line, while you may think you own the guild I am the one who is paying you and contracting out your services!”
The guild leader looked at the man who was dressed in the cloth of a wealthy dignitary who spoke firmly and true.
“I am making some new arrangements on our contract as we speak Trent.. As guild chancellor… I hereby revoke your presence on the station, you have had too much sway on the affairs of Eris since you were elected to the chair as a corporate advisor and committee member, you will be released of your duty here”
the man was a brunette with a clean shave and gray eyes in his late forties with a strong jaw…Some hours had past and Trent was led by security to his personal ship.His eyes were full of resentment, blinded by hate. Carlisle had been bested by the voice of reason and he was not about to let the disgrace of being removed from Eris by force ruin him. just as he approached the docking terminal a fist came out from out of nowhere “howdy!” Carlisle staggered and hit his head against the bulkhead. Carter stood over Trent’s slumped mass. there was a throaty *HAWWWWWWWWKK*Carter spit in Trent’s eye and started to walk away “Oh by the way Carl, can I call you Carl? I was Reinstated and am being given that mighty fine ship ya just built… I’ll be sure to give her some extra special love and care for you while you are on your trip back to whatever dirtfuck planet you crawled up from… Send Clarissa my regards, ya blubbering baby…” Trent reached around to find his Cane in the hands of Carter who was banging it against the bulkheads and the pipes gingerly as he walked away…
It was quiet in the Creche. Tara sat angstful waiting to find out what happened. the ship stood quietly outside the window and the door was closed for the longest time.